Codemasters has confirmed to VGC that as it winds down its rally racing development pipeline, it’s also “eliminating roles.” The studio doesn’t say exactly how many jobs it is cutting, though it does state that it will be reassigning some people across other studios and projects across EA Sports.

“As a business, we are constantly evolving to meet the growing needs of our players and driving greater focus across our portfolio,” a Codemasters spokesperson said. “This has led us to look at reducing some roles, while we redeploy as many as possible against our strategic priorities.”

Codemasters isn’t the only Electronic Arts studio to suffer layoffs. Last week, EA confirmed that it had eliminated roughly 300 roles across all of its studios, including Respawn Entertainment. Reports have claimed that Respawn alone had to cut about 100 jobs, along with cancelling a Titanfall spinoff extraction shooter.

Sadly, this isn’t the first time of late that Codemasters has suffered layoffs either. The developer also had to eliminate roles back in December 2023.

In an official blog post, Codemasters has announced that it is ending development support for EA Sports WRC, which released in 2023, and that it has also ended its partnership with WRC, with the exclusive license having spanned just one game. Not only that, Codemasters – the studio behind the likes of Colin McRae Rally, Dirt, and Dirt Rally – also says that, at least for now, it has no plans to make more rally racing sims.

“Every great journey eventually finds its finish line, and today, we announce that we’ve reached the end of the road working on WRC,” the developer writes. “After releasing EA SPORTS WRC in 2023, the 2024 season, including the recently released Hard Chargers Content pack, will be our last expansion.

“For now, we are pausing development plans on future rally titles. Rest assured, EA SPORTS WRC will continue to be available for existing and new players. We hope it remains a source of joy, excitement, and the thrill of rally racing. We’ve poured our hearts into making it for fans, and we know you’ll keep the passion alive.

“Our WRC partnership was a culmination of sorts for our Codemasters journey with off-road racing, spanning decades through titles like Colin McRae Rally, and DiRT. We’ve provided a home for every rally enthusiast, striving tirelessly to push the boundaries and deliver the exhilarating thrill of driving on the ragged edge. We’ve brought together incredibly talented racing developers, worked with some of the sport’s icons, and had the opportunity to share our love of rallying.

“Thank you to all the fans who have and continue to be part of our rally journey.”

How this change will affect Codemasters remains to be seen. There’s currently no word on whether the studio will be eliminating positions.

EA confirmed on Wednesday that it had laid off roughly 300 employees across a number of studios. Reports have claimed about a hundred of those affected were employed at Respawn Entertainment, and that the studio also cancelled a Titanfall extraction shooter.

On December 5th, Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can look forward to EA Sports WRC on cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X/S via EA Play. Overthrown also enters early access via Game Preview for the same platforms. December 9th sees the arrival of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, followed by Wildfrost on December 10th.

The second wave of titles for the month is unknown, but Microsoft already has the first week of 2025 outlined. It starts with Carrion for consoles, cloud, and PC across all Game Pass tiers on January 2nd, followed by Road 96 on January 7th for the same.

As for the titles leaving the service, there’s a double whammy of departures. The following titles will be gone on December 15th:

• Amnesia: The Bunker (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Forager (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Forza Horizon 4 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Rise of the Tomb Raider (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Tin Hearts (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• The Quarry (Cloud and Console)

Then on December 31st, another batch of titles will no longer be available for subscribers:

• BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Close to the Sun (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Humankind (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Lego 2K Drive (Cloud and Console)
• McPixel 3 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Party Animals (Cloud and Console)

Further details will be revealed in the coming months. However, those who purchase it receive two more DLC packs, the first launching in Winter (which may be 2024 or 2025) and the second in Spring. Each DLC is themed and includes new vehicles, stages for existing locations and new Moments.

Of course, those who don’t purchase the Season Expansion can pick up the DLC separately. First-time players can also avail of the EA Sports WRC 2024 Season Edition. It’s also available in October and includes the base game and Season Expansion into one bundle, though the price has yet to be announced.

EA Sports WRC is available for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC. Check out our review for the base game.

#10. TT ISLE OF MAN: RIDE ON THE EDGE 3

Owing to its very nature as a hardcore superbike racing sim, TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 3 is not, like its predecessors, a game with widespread appeal, but for fans of the sport and racing sims in general, there’s a lot to love here. Its rough production values, lack of variety in content, and less-than-stellar visuals do leave a little something to be desired, but with incredible physics and driving mechanics, a rewarding sense of challenge, and incredible sense of speed, TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 3 has an excellent foundation.

#9. MONSTER ENERGY SUPERCROSS: THE OFFICIAL VIDEOGAME 6

Milestone has a grip on the bike racing simulation genre in a way no other developer in the industry does, and Monster Energy Supercross 6 was yet another feather in the developer’s cap in 2023. From significant improvements to the physics and handling systems to an impressive level of polish and attention to detail, from a solid selection of new and returning modes to a much stronger balance between authentic simulation and accessible fun, Monster Energy Supercross 6 is a promising glimpse of how the series can continue to improve with future instalments.

#8. MOTOGP 23

MotoGP 23 is a perfect example of how a game can benefit from a bevy of iterative improvements as much as it can from a smaller number of radical revolutions. Rather than trying to reinvent the wheel, it builds on its predecessors’ foundations by making notable improvements across the board, from the new Career mode to the introduction of more newcomer-friendly mechanics, while continuing to exhibit the same authenticity and love for bikes that Milestone’s games are so often associated with.

#7. LEGO 2K DRIVE

A Mario Kart-inspired open world arcade racer making use of the Lego license? With an elevator pitch like that, any game is bound to turn its fair share of heads, and LEGO 2K Drive mostly makes good on its promises. Though it can feel a bit shallow and repetitive, the underlying systems and design deserve credit. Maps are colourful and tightly designed, driving mechanics are tight and strike a nice balance between skill and accessibility, and vehicle building and customization in particular can offer up hours upon hours of enjoyment. It may not have been a revelation, but LEGO 2K Drive is a solid enough racer than genre fans of all ages can enjoy.

#6. RIDE 5

Yep, another Milestone-developed bike racing sim, and easily the one that impressed us most this year. The RIDE franchise has continued to push the envelope with its visuals, authenticity, and technical achievements with each new instalment, and RIDE 5 didn’t disappoint on that front either. On top of that, with notable improvements to the Career mode, the addition of new elements like Rivals and your very own HQ, the introduction of dynamic weather, a new Race Creator option, and a continued push for accessibility and approachability, RIDE 5 once again proves why Milestone’s franchise is the undisputed king of bike racing sims.

#5. THE CREW MOTORFEST

After two instalments in the mainland United States, with The Crew Motorfest, Ubisoft’s open world racing franchise took players to the island of Oahu, and it turned out to be absolutely the right decision. Courtesy of a much more varied, vibrant, and colourful world that is teeming with gorgeous vistas to take in, The Crew Motorfest benefits from excellent festive vibes that make it a much more engaging experience, while a smart, new structure for the main content and improvements to the driving mechanics also make for more enjoyable racing mechanics. It might not be the competitor to Forza Horizon’s throne that it was perhaps being positioned as, but it’s still a hell of a racer that fans of the genre will enjoy.

#4. F1 23

Codemasters’ annual F1 franchise has been one of the best racing sim experiences around for a long time now, and 2023’s instalment was another predictably excellent one. With its loot-driven F1 World experience, F1 23 offers a different flavour of content than most of its predecessors have been known for, while the return of F1 21’s story mode, Braking Point, also proves to be a triumphant one. That, combined with improvements to the underlying driving mechanics made for an excellent all-around package, even if the game does still feel a bit stagnant where its visuals and Career mode are concerned.

#3. EA SPORTS WRC

The WRC license switched lanes to Codemasters and EA Sports this year, and the former leveraged its expertise with rally racing simulators to deliver another excellent outing for the licensed series. EA Sports WRC captures the adrenaline-fueled thrill of rally racing better than most other games have managed in the past, while it also offers a smattering of contents across its many modes, tracks, vehicles, and more. Admittedly, the experience can be dragged down at times by issues such as bugs and a few modes that feel a little undercooked, but by and large, EA Sports WRC has laid down an excellent foundation for Codemasters to build on with future instalments in the years to come.

#2. HOT WHEELS UNLEASHED 2: TURBOCHARGED

The fourth Milestone-developed game to earn a place on this list, and without a shadow of doubt, the best of the lot. Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is an excellent evolution of its already solid predecessor. That sense of speed and arcadey thrill that the first game boasted is not only present and accounted for here, but shining brighter than ever before, while also touting stunning visuals, incredible track design, a vast array of customization options, and new driving and movement options like jumps, dashes, and more. Ultimately, it’s an iterative improvement rather than a radical one, and the single player offerings do leave a little something to be desired, but the final product is one that improves on the first game in some key ways.

#1. FORZA MOTORSPORT

The Forza Motorsport franchise had been dormant for longer than most would have expected, but in 2023, it finally made its comeback with what was billed as a reboot. Whether or not it turned out to be the undisputed king of racing sims might still be up for debate, thanks in large part to a divisive new structure for its campaign, but there’s so much else here that we can’t help but be impressed with. New weather effects, a healthy offering of content (especially in the multiplayer department), stunning visuals and attention to detail of the sort that only this franchise can manage, crucial improvements and tweaks to the moment-to-moment mechanics- the list goes on and on. Even though it doesn’t hit the highs that many of its predecessors are remembered for, Forza Motorsport is still a triumphant return for Turn 10’s long-running franchise.

As you would expect from a season update, EA Sports WRC also has a new content for the Rally Pass, featuring new items and over 60 new moments.

The new Central European Rally track features the Czech Republic as its new setting, and is available to all EA Sports WRC players for free across all game modes. This means that the new tracks can be playable in everything, from multiplayer races to the career mode.

EA Sports WRC was released back in October, and at launch, featured over 200 stages, multiple returning locations, 78 rally car, and new mechanics, like the Dynamic Handling System. On the multiplayer side of things, the game supports up to 32 players with cross-platform support.

For more details on EA Sports WRC, check out our review. And check out the full patch notes for the season 2 update below.

UPDATE NOTES:

• Added Central European Rally as a driveable location, free to all players.
• Added 15 Rally Pass Season 2 cosmetic items, in the VIP tier.
• Added 10 Rally Pass Season 2 cosmetic items, in the Free tier.
• Added 5 Rally Pass Season 2 cosmetic items, in the EA Play tier.
• Added a new Season of Moments, with a new challenge going live every day (~60 in total).

• Made a number of performance optimisations across the game, to further improve framerate.
• Implemented a number of additional PSO shader caches across all cars to help reduce stuttering.
• Implemented a number of additional PSO shader caches related to trackside collisions, to help reduce stuttering.
• Implemented a number of additional PSO shader caches related to spray and kick-up, to help reduce stuttering.
• Fixed an issue where GPU usage was unusually high on Main Menu screens.
• Fixed an issue that would cause stutter in Quick Play Multiplayer whenever somebody joins or leaves a lobby.
• Fixed an issue where the camera would judder on location reveal screens.
• Fixed an issue where the camera would judder on location stage start and finish screens when panning around the car.
• Resolved an exploit where players could previously get free repairs and tyre changes by quitting an in-progress Club Championship Event.
• Resolved a number of corner-cutting exploits across several stages and locations.
• Made a number of usability improvements to the Livery Editor, including the ability to mirror decals.
• Fixed an issue where saved tuning setups would become corrupted if the same name or save slot was used on multiple cars.
• Fixed an issue where all tuning setup sliders would change to minimum values after loading a saved setup.
• Added “Manual Auto Select” to the Transmission Assist settings, allowing players with H-Pattern and Sequential shifters to automatically swap depending on the car used.

• Fixed an issue in Career that caused the game to crash when the Benefactor relationship exceeded 100%.
• Fixed an issue on Xbox in which changing Graphics settings would cause the game to crash.
• Fixed an issue with Quick Play Multiplayer in which changing AI difficulty would cause the game to crash.
• Fixed an issue with Quick Play Multiplayer in which the game would crash if the host of the lobby would start an event.

• Fixed an issue where Motion Blur would re-set to On after the game has been rebooted.

• Adjusted a specific WRC driver’s pace at Monte Carlo to better reflect their real-life performance.
• Fixed an issue where manually changing AI difficulty mid-Championship in Quick Play Solo would not result in AI performance change.
• Made a number of general fixes to gameplay balance and experience.
• Additionally, we would like to get your feedback and input on inconsistent AI performance in this forum thread, in order to make further fixes in a future update.

• Fixed an issue where engine audio from the Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 HYBRID would sound distorted in some scenarios.
• Fixed an issue where Bass Reduction Frequency could only be set to 400hz, instead of 500hz as intended.

• Fixed an issue where some Builder cars would not shift into 2nd gear.
• Fixed an issue where engine audio from WRC Builder cars using the Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 HYBRID engine would sound distorted in some scenarios.
• Fixed an issue where some body parts on Builder cars would appear invisible while driving.

• Added Central European Rally to FIA World Rally Championship Career calendar.
• Added Central European Rally non-championship events throughout the Career calendar.
• Fixed an issue that caused the game to crash when the Benefactor relationship exceeded 100%.
• Fixed an issue where surface degradation was not being correctly applied throughout Career.
• Fixed an issue with the Chief Engineer Perks screen in which perks would remain highlighted when no longer selected.
• Fixed an issue where driver and co-driver character images were not appearing on End-of-Season summary screens.
• Fixed an issue with where Splits and Notes tabs were not available on results screens after receiving Terminal Damage.
• Removed Championship recaps from the End-of-Season summary for Championships in which the player did not participate.

• Ford Escort MK2 – Fixed an issue where the interior and exterior windscreen elements were misaligned.
• Hillman Avenger – Fixed an issue where mudflaps were unexpectedly appearing underneath the car body.
• Lancia Delta HF Integrale – Fixed an issue where the dashboard would produce a distracting sun reflection.
• Lancia Delta S4 – Fixed an issue where the dashboard would produce a distracting sun reflection.
• MINI Countryman Rally Edition – Fixed a display issue that presented the car in the vehicle select screen as a 5-speed sequential instead of a 6-speed.
• Peugeot 205 GTI – Fixed an issue where the service area reflections would appear on the windshield while driving.
• Peugeot 207 S2000 – Fixed a number of livery issues with the official livery.
• Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo – Fixed a number of issues on Livery 6 (Keferböck).
• SUBARU Impreza 2001 – Fixed an issue with the interior cockpit model.
• Fixed an issue on WRC cars in which hybrid deployment would always revert to Cautious between stages.
• Fixed an issue on WRC cars in which hybrid deployment would cancel when throttle was released below boost threshold point, instead of when throttle input reaches 0%.
• Fixed an issue on all cars where the exhaust flare would pop and appear for too long after every gear change.
• Fixed an issue on all cars where engine damage effects were not displaying correctly while driving.
• Fixed an issue on all cars where the HUD’s odometer would count up in kilometres instead of miles when set to Imperial.

• Added Central European Rally to FIA World Rally Championship calendar.
• Fixed an issue with where Splits and Notes tabs were not available on results screens after receiving Terminal Damage.

• Resolved an exploit where players could previously get free repairs and tyre changes by quitting an in-progress Club Championship Event.
• Changed stage finish procedure so that players must now drive to the marshal at stop control after crossing the finish line.
• Fixed an issue where a saved Championship Template would not suggest the custom Championship name the player had created.

• Croatia – Fixed an issue where distance calls were being delivered at the wrong time.
• Finland – Fixed an issue where distance calls were being delivered at the wrong time.
• Mediterraneo – Reduced complexity of co-driver calls through specific turns to improve pace-note timings ahead of dangerous corners.
• Mexico – Fixed an issue where distance calls were being delivered at the wrong time.
• Pacifico – Fixed an issue where distance calls were being delivered at the wrong time.

• Added “Manual Auto Select” to the Transmission Assist settings, allowing players with H-Pattern and Sequential shifters to automatically swap depending on the car used.
• Fixed an issue where the Assists menu wouldn’t warn H-Pattern players of missing gear bindings when “Manual H-Pattern” is selected as Transmission Type.
• Fixed an issue where deadzones were not being applied correctly in-game.
• Fixed an issue where secondary handbrake input bindings were not being recognised in-game.
• Fixed an issue where secondary devices would not produce vibration when connected via USB as opposed to connecting via wheelbase.
• Fixed an issue that caused certain input devices to require recalibration after the game has been rebooted.
• Fixed an issue on PS5 that caused DualSense controllers to continue vibrating after Vibration & Feedback was disabled.

• Made a number of performance optimisations across the game, to further improve framerate.
• Made a number of performance optimisations across Kenya, in addition to the general fixes mentioned in this update.
• Made a number of performance optimisations across Oceania, in addition to the general fixes mentioned in this update.
• Made a number of visual and performance improvements to trees and foliage.
• Made improvements to water spray effects when driving on wet asphalt.
• Made improvements to wet dirt and wet grass kick-up effects on all locations.
• Implemented a number of additional PSO shader caches across all cars to help reduce stuttering.
• Implemented a number of additional PSO shader caches related to trackside collisions, to help reduce stuttering.
• Implemented a number of additional PSO shader caches related to spray and kick-up, to help reduce stuttering.
• Added a framerate limiter to Main Menu screens to optimise performance and minimise load on PC hardware components.
• Fixed an issue where Fanatec and location event plates would appear stretched when using NVIDIA GTX 10 series GPUs.
• Fixed an issue where vehicle headlights were active by default during the day, affecting framerate.
• Fixed an issue where vehicle reflections were more adversely affecting framerate than expected.
• Fixed an issue where GPU usage was unusually high on Main Menu screens.
• Fixed an issue on console that caused unusual performance on Main Menu screens.
• Fixed an issue where the camera would judder on location reveal screens.
• Fixed an issue where the camera would judder on location stage start and finish screens when panning around the car.
• Fixed an issue where some visual collision effects would fade out too quickly.
• Fixed an issue that would cause snow and gravel kick-up to not appear while spectating a Quick Play Multiplayer Event.
• Fixed an issue that would cause stutter in Quick Play Multiplayer whenever somebody joins or leaves a lobby.
• Fixed an issue that would cause stutter in Quick Play Multiplayer whenever a Steam friend status changed while in a large lobby.

• Added the ability to mirror decals from left/right-hand side of the car to the opposite side.
• Added the ability to mirror decals across the symmetrical midpoint of the front, roof and rear areas of the car.
• Added the ability to duplicate an existing decal.
• Added the ability to change a decal shape while retaining previously set size, position, rotation and colour
• Fixed an issue where framerate would drop to below 10 fps when using the Livery Editor on NVIDIA 10 series GPUs.
• Fixed an issue that caused all liveries created before the v1.2.0 update to appear broken.
• Fixed an issue where the camera would drift upward when applying decals to the left-hand side of the car.
• Fixed a number of UI issues related to saving designs.
• BMW M1 Procar Rally – Fixed an issue where decals could not be placed on the car’s roof.
• Lancia 037 Evo 2 – Fixed an issue where decals could not be placed on the car’s roof.
• Lancia Stratos – Fixed an issue where decals could not be placed on the car’s roof.
• MG Metro 6R4 – Fixed an issue where decals could not be placed on the back of the car.
• Opel Corsa S2000 – Fixed an issue where a gap was appearing between the windscreen and the dashboard.
• Peugeot 309 GTI – Fixed an issue with projection depth when applying decals.
• Renault Twingo II – Fixed an issue where decals could not be placed on the back of the car.
• Volkswagen Golf GTI – Fixed an issue with projection depth when applying decals.

• Resolved a number of exploits where players could potentially gain an advantage by intentionally resetting the car at specific points.
• Chile – Resolved a number of corner-cutting exploits at Arauco.
• Chile – Resolved a number of corner-cutting exploits at Bio Bío.
• Chile – Resolved a number of corner-cutting exploits at Coronel.
• Chile – Resolved a number of corner-cutting exploits at Florida.
• Chile – Resolved a number of corner-cutting exploits at Lota.
• Chile – Resolved a number of corner-cutting exploits at Yumbel.
• Croatia – Fixed an issue where players could potentially collide with invisible objects throughout the stages.
• Croatia – Fixed a number of minor environmental object issues.
• Estonia – Fixed a number of minor issues where abrupt seams were visible across some roadside edges.
• Estonia – Fixed an issue in Quick Play Multiplayer in which cameras would move erratically when the stage is revealed.
• Finland – Resolved a number of corner-cutting exploits at Lahdenkyla.
• Finland – Resolved a number of corner-cutting exploits at Leutsu.
• Finland – Resolved a number of corner-cutting exploits at Maahi.
• Finland – Resolved a number of corner-cutting exploits at Saakoski.
• Japan – Resolved a corner-cutting exploit at Lake Mikawa.
• Japan – Resolved a corner-cutting exploit at Oninotaira.
• Japan – Fixed an issue where some logs and rocks were missing collision boxes.
• Mexico – Resolved a number of corner-cutting exploits at El Chocolate.
• Mexico – Resolved a number of corner-cutting exploits at Guanajuatito.
• Mexico – Resolved a number of corner-cutting exploits at Ortega.
• Mexico – Resolved a number of corner-cutting exploits at Otates.
• Monte Carlo – Resolved a number of corner-cutting exploits at La Bâtie-Neuve – Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes.
• Monte Carlo – Resolved a number of corner-cutting exploits at Les Borels.
• Monte Carlo – Resolved a number of corner-cutting exploits at Ravin de Coste Belle.
• Monte Carlo – Resolved a number of corner-cutting exploits at Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes – La Bâtie-Neuve.
• Portugal – Fixed an issue where players could fall through a hole in the driveable landscape.

• Added new Archive tab for Season 1 Moments.
• Fixed an issue where surface degradation was not being applied to Moments.
• Fixed an issue in the service area where vehicle renders would not appear on certain UI screens.
• Fixed an issue where the stage timer would not stop when crossing the finish line.

• Added an option to limit framerate throughout Main Menu screens on PC.
• Fixed an issue on Xbox in which changing Graphics settings would cause the game to crash.
• Fixed an issue on PC in which the Vibration tab was mistakenly appearing when using a DUALSHOCK or DualSense controller.

• Fixed an issue where the Photo Mode camera would shift position after the player enabled the motion blur process.

• Resolved an exploit with Quick Play Multiplayer in which the lead driver of a Regularity Rally could trigger the Stage End Timer too early for all other players.
• Fixed an issue with Quick Play Multiplayer in which changing AI difficulty would cause the game to crash.
• Fixed an issue with Quick Play Multiplayer in which the game would crash if the host of the lobby would start an event.
• Fixed an issue with Quick Play Multiplayer where players would get kicked out of private sessions instead of returning to the lobby.
• Fixed an issue with Quick Play Multiplayer in which accepting an invite during an Event podium sequence would cause cars to disappear from the service area.
• Fixed an issue with Quick Play Multiplayer in which loading a Championship would incorrectly display players’ microphone icons.
• Fixed an issue with Quick Play Multiplayer in which a penalty time was incorrectly presented to the player on the stage results screen.
• Fixed an issue with Quick Play Solo that would cause framerates to drop when viewing Stage Results with a large number of entries present.
• Fixed an issue with Quick Play Solo in which Splits and Notes tabs were not available on results screens after receiving Terminal Damage.
• Fixed an issue with Quick Play Solo in which loose/detached parts would be re-applied to a car after the player reloads an in-progress event.

• Updated Rally Pass progression menu with Season 2 items.

• Fixed an issue on Lesson 10 (Snow) where seam lines would appear across some water textures.

• Fixed an issue where headlights appeared damaged at the start of replays.
• Fixed an issue where driver and steering wheel animations were not playing in replays.
• Fixed an issue where dust and kick-up was rendering in front of the car when viewing replays in slow motion.
• Fixed an issue where an abnormally high amount of dust and kick-up was generated when viewing replays in slow motion.
• Adjusted the maximum field of view setting for replay cameras to reduce “fish-eye” effect seen from certain angles.

• Fixed an issue where saved tuning setups would become corrupted if the same name or save slot was used on multiple cars.
• Fixed an issue where all tuning setup sliders would change to minimum values after loading a saved setup.
• Adjusted the display values of Brake and Handbrake Force settings to better reflect real-world values.
• Adjusted the display values of Differential settings to better reflect real-world values.
• Added the ability for some forms of Differential to be adjusted in 1% increments.

• Fixed an issue where skidmarks and ruts from a previous Time Trial attempt would still appear on-stage when a player restarted.
• Fixed an issue that caused cars to spin out of control after crossing the finish line when completing a Time Trial or Shakedown.
• Fixed an issue where players could not download ghost data in the service area.

• Fixed an issue where players using multiple monitors would revert back to a single monitor when entering the brightness menu.
• Fixed an issue where players using multiple monitors would revert back to a single screen when entering Photo Mode
• Fixed a number of issues that occurred when players using multiple monitors entered Pre and Post-Stage cutscenes.
• Fixed an issue that occurred when players using multiple monitors would sometimes encounter a “pincushion effect” when watching replays.
• Fixed an issue where players using multiple monitors would revert back to a single monitor when pressing ALT+Enter to go full-screen.

• Added Barbados flag as a selectable option when customising driver details.
• Fixed an issue where all players would have a Hungarian flag in their Rally Passport.
• Fixed an issue that caused finish line split times to show as 0:00.000.
• Fixed an issue where hands would not render properly on some roadside spectators.
• Fixed an issue that caused some users playing under minimum PC spec to not launch the game on Steam.
• Fixed some minor text and UI issues across various areas of the game.
• Made several minor bug fixes and improvements across the game.

• If a player is currently partway through a Career season, Central European Rally will appear on the next Season’s calendar.
• If a player starts a new Career save, Central European Rally will appear in the Season 1 calendar.
• If a player is currently partway through a Championship Mode season, Central European Rally will not appear on the Event list.
• If a player starts a new Championship Mode save, Central European Rally will appear on the Event list.
• In Championship Mode, Central European Rally will only appear in the top class’ competition.
• All vehicle tuning setups created before the v1.4.0 update will be wiped once the update releases. Please write down or screenshot any tuning values you want to keep, and re-make those setups after the update.
• All custom steering wheel and controller input bindings will be wiped once the update releases. Please write down or screenshot any custom bindings you want to keep, and re-build them after the update.
• Top Time Trial Leaderboard times that were previously set using corner-cutting exploits fixed in this update will be deleted in the future.

Not only did it develop the acclaimed Colin McRae series, starting with Colin McRae Rally and eventually spinning it off into Dirt before delivering Dirt Rally, another acclaimed rally racer (its sequel less so). Perhaps it’s appropriate that the studio would develop the latest title, bringing back its rally sim expertise while advancing the formula forward in multiple ways.

To that end, EA Sports WRC is a big improvement over Dirt Rally 2.0, with more content, a more comprehensive Career Mode, several Championships, and much more. There are some technical issues and annoyances, but as a whole, it’s an endearing time.

"Each vehicle also looks authentic, and while you won’t see windshields and car glass splintering or paint scraping, hoods and doors go flying when taking enough damage."

As with other contemporary racing games, you have to create a driver. Make no mistake, this is far from the most comprehensive character creation tool. You can’t adjust the eyes, hair, height, or anything else outside the presets. However, you can customize your co-pilot’s voice and the gear (with more available by progressing through the Rally Pass), and I’m mostly okay with that. Less so with the substandard character models on tracks with their dead eyes and barely animated expressions, but you only briefly see them before races.

The real attention to detail and visual fidelity is seen with the cars and environments. It’s noticeable when dirt sprays into the air on a turn and dust covers your bumper or when the road’s surface is slick with ice. Each vehicle also looks authentic, and while you won’t see windshields and car glass splintering or paint scraping, hoods and doors go flying when taking enough damage. The skyboxes and distant details are also good, though there is some noticeable pop-in at times.

There is some stutter and dropped frames when starting races, but the former is almost non-existent when racing. Any stutters that did materialize were thankfully minor and didn’t compromise any races. The snow-covered mountains in the backdrop of one course also had a weird flickering effect, but that went away after some time.

Those who have stuck with the series for this long – and rally sim fans in general – know what to expect with the gameplay. Select a car, tune it accordingly, race the course, and listen to your copilot’s commands. While flying by the seat of your pants is all well and good, preparing yourself for upcoming turns, especially the brutal hairpins, is the key to success, and shaving off precious seconds for that perfect run.

"None of this is to say that the racing is “easy.” Accelerate too heavily coming out of a turn, and sometimes oversteering will send you sailing to the side."

Going offroad can result in time penalties – heck, hitting a corner beacon will knock some seconds off. The AI is also quick to capitalize on your mistakes, though if you race reliably enough without any major mistakes, it’s possible to obtain a comfy lead without much trouble. Some tuning is required, even when the AI is set to “50.”

The feel of EA Sports WRC is intriguing in several ways. Each car, whether it’s WRC2 or Junior WRC, is easy enough to pick up and control. The handling is responsive overall, and the feeling of power when accelerating down straights or narrowly clinching slight turns is exhilarating. However, each controls differently, and whether it’s the balanced but less powerful Ford Fiesta Rally 3 or a classic Lancia with its excellent handling, you feel those differences as you come to terms with each track.

None of this is to say that the racing is “easy.” Accelerate too heavily coming out of a turn, and sometimes oversteering will send you sailing to the side. Different road types also need to be respected – tarmac can feel friendly and welcoming, but heavy dirt roads require easing up when going uphill.

The snow-covered stages like Sweden are easily a favorite because of this, and you can feel the difference between a road wet with snow and another covered in ice – just turning on the latter causes your car to slide on its own. It’s as entrancing as it can be frightening, especially when co-driver calls can feel a little too late at times.

"While I didn’t bring my creation into many races, instead opting for tried and true rally machines, the amount of customization and options is pretty good."

This brings up another highlight – the course design. There are over 200 courses in EA Sports WRC, each with unique road conditions and options for weather. While you won’t find dynamic weather conditions, varying road conditions are enough to keep you on your toes, whether it’s going from tarmac to perilous snow or back. As a whole, the courses are long but well-paced, presenting enough of a challenge without getting frustrating despite the sheer number of things that can stop your car in its tracks. Precision is key, but so is understanding the course and how to navigate its most treacherous sections.

Championships are your standard run through multiple events against AI drivers, with options for deciding the length and number. The new Moments Mode offers specific challenges based on real-world events where you must complete objectives (like placing in a certain position or sustaining a certain amount of damage) to earn XP. Using specific cars spices things up, but having more Moments or cycling them out over a shorter period would be ideal. Furthermore, you can’t play them offline, which is just annoying.

Builder Mode is also brand new to the series, allowing you to create a rally car from scratch, down to the springs, tyres, brakes, bumpers, you name it. While I didn’t bring my creation into many races, instead opting for tried and true rally machines, the amount of customization and options is pretty good. Those who want to go fully hands-on and craft the rally car of their dreams will no doubt have fun.

Career Mode is fairly extensive, as you select a competition, team logo and colors, hire staff like Engineers (whose perks can be customized and trained), and complete goals provided by your benefactor. There are several events on the racing calendar, whether competing in major championships, invitationals, manufacturer hospitality (where you can try out other manufacturers’ cars for free – just don’t damage them) and so on.

"Several things need to be improved, but as a complete package, it’s a fun, meaty experience for rally racing fans to dive into."

Having the right vehicle type and adhering to your benefactor’s requirements. Keep them happy by earning points, completing goals, and staying within the allotted budget. Of course, it’s also important to rest your staff now and again since they have a set amount of stamina.

It’s a fun time overall, and there’s a healthy amount of settings to tailor the experience to be as challenging or relaxed as possible. However, buying a car for each invitational can get expensive quickly, especially when you have a limited amount of space in your garage (even with subsequent upgrades).

Perhaps the only real drawback is the multiplayer. No, not the netcode, but the long wait times. You need to get into a game with other players and wait for them to ready up, so whether Quick Play or manually searching for races with the Server Browser, the wait can be excruciatingly long. At least you can play custom games against the AI, but a quick race option or automatic countdown would be nice.

Overall, EA Sports WRC is a worthy successor to Kylotonn’s games and Codemasters’ rally titles. Several things need to be improved, but as a complete package, it’s a fun, meaty experience for rally racing fans to dive into.

This game was reviewed on Xbox Series X.

Quantum Error

Early access for TeamKill Media’s upcoming horror title begins on October 31st for pre-orders on PS5. However, Quantum Error is available worldwide for everyone on November 3rd, with the story set in the Monad Quantum Research Facility.

Following an unknown attack, firefighter Capt. Jacob Thomas is sent in to rescue any survivors. Things quickly dive into cosmic horror territory, and it’s all players can do to survive. Developed on Unreal Engine 5 and utilizing the DualSense’s adaptive triggers and haptic feedback for immersion, Quantum Error could be a dark horse in a year of standout horror titles.

RoboCop: Rogue City

Terminator Resistance developer Teyon is adapting the other robotic action icon into shooter form with RoboCop: Rogue City. It takes place between the second and third films and sees RoboCop tackling the gangs of futuristic Detroit. There’s also Project Afterlife, a mysterious plan that could involve the ever-shady OCP.

Along with the classic Auto 9, players wield 20 different weapons, uphold the law, help citizens, and complete various missions for XP to unlock powerful upgrades. You can even investigate and gather evidence when you’re not punching perps in the gob. RoboCop: Rogue City launches on November 2nd for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.

EA Sports WRC

The WRC series is back, albeit under the EA Sports moniker and developed by Codemasters, who are no strangers to rally racing games. While it offers WRC, WRC2 and Junior WRC cars and teams from the 2023 season, you can also control about 68 classic vehicles.

There are over 200 stages to play through, spread across 17 locations, including Portugal, Kenya, Japan and Monte Carlo, with new features like Builder Mode for designing a car, Moments Mode (which focuses on racing through recent events), Career, and cross-platform multiplayer. It even has Clubs with leaderboards. EA Sports WRC launches for PC, Xbox Series X/S and PS5 on November 3rd.

The Invincible

Some sci-fi stories are full of hope and the anticipation of exploring beyond the reaches of human understanding. Based on Stanisław Lem’s sci-fi novel, Starward Industries’ The Invincible embodies the latter but reinforces one inescapable fact – not everywhere is meant for us. As astrobiologist Yasna, players venture to Regis 3 on the spaceship Invincible.

It’s not long before she’s caught up in searching for her crewmates with the help of astrogator Novik, slowly uncovering their fate and learning about the overwhelming threat on the planet. With gorgeous visuals and branching decisions, The Invincible promises a slow-burn thriller experience when it launches on November 6th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC.

Broken Roads

If you’ve been aching for a Disco Elysium-style computer role-playing game, Drop Bear Byte’s Broken Roads may be worth checking out. Releasing on November 14th for Xbox Series X/S, PC and Nintendo Switch, it’s set in post-apocalyptic Western Australia, specifically the Wheatbelt region, as players explore the Outback and make alliances to survive. All decisions fall under four quadrants in the Moral Compass, which can provide different traits to cater to future choices. With multiple outcomes, extensive lore and turn-based combat, it’s an intriguing take on the genre which we’re keen to try.

Football Manager 2024

Would it be a November without a Football Manager title (not counting titles released before 2014)? Football Manager 2024 is out on November 6th with four versions – PC, Console (for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and also PC), Mobile and Touch for Nintendo Switch. Along with upgraded ball physics and lighting, new features like the Inverted Full Back role, a Match Preparation tab in Training, new Youth System Rankings and more are included.

This is in addition to quality-of-life improvements for the Fantasy Draft and pre-match briefing feedback panel, offering out players on loan, and more. Perhaps the best part is the ability to import your career from last year’s game and continue playing.

Flashback 2

As one of the more unorthodox side-scrolling action platformers of the early 90s, Flashback is finally getting a sequel, helmed by creator Paul Cuisset. It sees Galactic Bureau of Investigation agent Conrad B. Hart searching for his friend Ian while dealing with the Morph Invasion. With vibrant 2.5D visuals that capture the original’s cyberpunk vision, new locations, new mechanics and the same pulse-pounding action, Flashback 2 looks like a modern blast from the past. It’s out on November 16th for Xbox One, PS4, PS5, PC, Nintendo Switch and Xbox Series X/S.

Super Mario RPG

For many, their first introduction to turn-based role-playing games happened not with Final Fantasy but with Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. On November 17th, it finally returns as a remake for Nintendo Switch, featuring gorgeous overhauled visuals and orchestral arrangements for the soundtrack (with the original tracks still available).

There are also several new features and mechanics, from the new Easy Mode and fighting souped-up versions of existing bosses to the new Triple Move, a super move where all three party members attack. Even if you never played the original, Super Mario RPG is an experience that can’t be missed.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name

From a legendary dragon to a Joryu, an agent of the Daidoji, Kazuma Kiryu returns in Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. Taking place after the events of Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, it sees Kiryu partaking in various missions in Osaka and Yokohama, interacting with new characters like Akame and dealing with new threats like Homare Nishitani III, the patriarch of the Kijin Clan.

In addition to serious story missions, Kiryu also indulges in combat with the Yakuza and Agent Styles and engages in various side activities like Karaoke, Pocket Circuit, the Coliseum, and even playing classic Sega games like Fighting Vipers 2, Daytona USA 2, Galaxy Force and Flicky. Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name launches on November 9th for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5 and PC.

Risk of Rain Returns

While Hopoo Games eventually wants to explore other ideas outside the Risk for Rain franchise, it’s back for one last hurrah with Risk of Rain Returns. As a remaster of the first game, the side-scrolling rogue-lite shooter sports sharper visuals and 15 Survivors (two new to the roster) with unique play styles feeding into the sheer chaos possible with item pick-ups and power-ups.

Upon exploring Petrichor V, things increase in difficulty, but you can also add Artifacts for even more mayhem, like Imp Invasions every ten minutes. The best part is that along with couch co-op, the improved online multiplayer makes it much easier to team up with others. Risk of Rain Returns launches on November 8th for PC and Nintendo Switch.

While offering the same rally racing that fans love, with over 200 stages and multiple returning locations, EA Sports WRC offers 78 rally cars and new mechanics like the Dynamic Handling System. You can also create a rally car in Builder Mode, engage in throwback moments via Moments Mode, and embark on a new Career.

If that weren’t enough, there’s support for up to 32 players in multiplayer with cross-platform support. It also runs at 60 FPS on all platforms, with PS5 and Xbox Series X targeting 4K and Xbox Series S using 1440p. Dynamic resolution is in effect, depending on the action. Head here for more details on the title, and stay tuned for more updates.

On the resolution side of things, the PS5 and Xbox Series X will target 4K, while the Xbox Series S will target 1440p. It is also worth noting that, depending on the part of the game and the console, EA Sports WRC will also make use of dynamic resolution for the purposes of better optimisation.

Comparing the graphics on the console releases to the PC release, the post states that the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions of the game will feature graphics equivalent to High settings on PC. The Xbox Series S, on the other hand, will have settings equivalent to Medium or Low settings on PC.

Developer Codemasters recently revealed that EA Sports WRC would be making use of Unreal Engine 5. The decision to move on from the studio’s in-house EGO engine was made because it was reaching its limits. While the Frostbite engine was also on the table, the studio had made the switch to Unreal Engine 5 before EA acquired the studio.